Domestic Violence in Indian Country and Alaska

While it is important to acknowledge that American Indian and Alaska Native women experience some of the highest rates of physical and sexual violence in the nation, it is also important to understand that Native women have not always been the targets of abuse. Before colonization, abuse and domestic violence were rare in tribal communities.

Equally important is acknowledging the existence of Native women as the backbone of our families and tribal communities. Our grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and daughters play a major role in maintaining our culture and protecting our families. They are our healers, caretakers, protectors, warriors, and leaders. However, for generations, American Indians and Alaska Natives have struggled against and from under the effects of colonization, inadequate resources, marginalization, termination and assimilation, and a lack of acknowledgment of the role that history has played in our continued hurt.

Many Native and non-Native domestic violence experts agree that the prevalence of violence in Indian Country is a modern effect of the historical trauma that our people continue to experience. The extent of domestic violence in tribal communities is particularly overwhelming.

Nearly half had experienced stalking, and at least two in three had experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner

Of the estimated 1.5 million Native women who had experienced violence, 97 percent of the violence was committed by a non-Native perpetrator (ex. individuals of other races)

The study also examined how this violence affects our tribal communities and Native survivors. For American Indian and Alaska Native people, the study found:

Two in three women and a quarter of men had expressed safety concerns in their relationships

41.4 percent of women and 20.3 percent of men had been physically harmed

About half of women and nearly one in five men stated they needed victim services

With few options and supportive resources, Native American victims of abuse often go without assistance. Our goal at the StrongHearts Native Helpline (1-844-7NATIVE) is to provide culturally-appropriate support, referrals and safety planning for Native people by knowledgeable Native advocates. The helpline is available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CST, seven days a week.

A special thank you to the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program (FVPSA) for providing immense support for the development of the StrongHearts Native Helpline. This project described was supported by Grant Number 90EV0426 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Special thanks to Verizon, the first corporate partner to invest in the creation of StrongHearts Native Helpline.